SCRANTON – Victoria James’ 800-meter run victory at the District 2 Class 2A Track and Field Championships May 17 went exactly according to plan.

“I like to get out fast, then keep a steady pace throughout,” the Lackawanna Trail sophomore said after winning by 4.67 seconds in 2:22.58.

James opened nearly a two-second lead by the end of the first lap, then gradually expanded it while a group of three runners battled behind her trading second place.

Before sticking to her plan in the 800, James had already exceeded her expectations in the 1600, qualifying for Friday and Saturday’s Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Championships by beating the state standard during her second-place finish of 5:16.10.

“I was just trying for the 800; I wasn’t intending on qualifying for the 1600,” said James, who scratched from the state meet 1600 so she can concentrate on the 800 while competing at Shippensburg University.

James came to track and field from cross country, so she naturally started out in the distance events. As she has adjusted more to track, she found the 800 suited her a bit better than the 1600 and 3200.

As a freshman last season, James was fourth in the district 1600 and ninth in the 800. Already a two-time state qualifier in cross country, she is looking forward to her first appearance in Shippensburg. She was 48th out of 227 runners in Class A in Hershey in November’s cross country championships.

James produced 18 of the 21 team points that left Lackawanna Trail 12th among the 17 teams that scored at districts.

Isabella Jagoe medaled with a sixth-place finish in the 100.

The top six received medals and top eight earned points.

Jagoe was part of the 400 relay team that placed eighth. It also included Danielle Lamberti, Mary Stec and Virginia McDonough.

Shawn Jones and Dakota Moyle led the way for the Lackawanna Trail boys, who scored 17 points and finished 16th out of 20 teams.

Jones had the best individual finish with third place in the shot put.

Moyle was fourth in the 300-meter hurdles, eighth in the 110 high hurdles and seventh in the 400 relay where he was joined by Jeff Resto-Medina, Miguel Ella and Luke Baldwin.

Alec Jones was sixth in the triple jump.

Lackawanna Trail sophomore Victoria James, second from left, wound up on top of the medal stand after winning the district championship in the 800-meter run.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_ABJtrack-1.jpg.optimal.jpgLackawanna Trail sophomore Victoria James, second from left, wound up on top of the medal stand after winning the district championship in the 800-meter run. Tom Robinson | For Abington Journal

By Tom Robinson

For Abington Journal

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